Bikers aren't the only people in hog heaven during Erie's annual Roar on the Shore motorcycle rally.

Tavern and restaurant owners, hotels and other businesses in downtown Erie and the region reap the rewards of a huge infusion of tourism dollars during the four-day event.

Businesses along State Street are at the center of rally events, many of which take place in or near Perry Square.

Thousands of visitors and bikers pack the area.

"It's phenomenal,'' said Thomas "Tippy'' Dworzanski, owner of Sherlock's Park Place at 508 State St. "It's what you would dream about happening in a business where you're just totally overloaded with people.''

The sixth annual Roar on the Shore begins today and concludes Sunday.

Today's agenda is highlighted by the Bringin' in the Roar motorcycle parade, which is scheduled to leave Presque Isle Downs & Casino at 6 p.m. for Perry Square. About 5,000 motorcycles participated in the 2011 parade.

Today's parade will be led by singer and grand marshal Vanilla Ice.

Manufacturer & Business Association officials estimate as many as 100,000 bikers and visitors will attend the four-day rally.

They estimate more than $20 million could be pumped into the regional economy this week.

"I don't think that 100,000 is unreasonable at all,'' Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott said. "I think it's not so much a question of whether it will get that big, but how long until it does. I think that's going to happen if you look at how quickly it's grown in the last couple years.''

The rally's attendance and economic numbers are based on attendance from past years, aerial photos and feedback from the regional business community, Manufacturer & Business Association spokeswoman Tammy Polanski said.

"We look at not only direct costs that you can examine, but also indirect costs,'' she said.

She said officials gauge direct costs based on thousands of visitors spending on hotel accommodations, lodging and camping, gas, food, beverages, tickets, special events and shopping.

Indirect costs factored into the $20 million-plus estimate involve how local businesses prepare for the rally, Polanski said.

"There's a whole host of expenses and financial buzz that's happening in the community weeks, if not months, in advance of preparing for this 100,000 crowd to come into the city,'' Polanski said.

"We are very comfortable, conservatively saying, there's no question it exceeds $20 million into the local economy,'' she said.

The 2011 Roar on the Shore rally attracted about 80,000 bikers and visitors to the region, Manufacturer & Business Association officials said.

VisitErie President John Oliver said he expects all of Erie County's 4,300 hotel rooms to be booked for the rally this week.

"A lot of these participants are now camping, and based on what I heard from last year, a lot of visitors were probably staying within a radius of 60 miles in terms of finding accommodations,'' Oliver said.

That radius could expand, Oliver said.

Many visitors will likely seek additional lodging -- hotels, motels and campgrounds -- in Ohio, New York and other Pennsylvania counties, Oliver said.

"I expect we'll hear that people will be looking for rooms in Ashtabula, Dunkirk, Jamestown, Meadville and Warren,'' he said. "I think we're going to start to see that kind of a pushout of visitors. They could go up into Erie County, N.Y.''

"A group this size has incredibly diverse interests,'' he said. "Many of the visitors are doing things that are not necessarily the planned activities. They're going off on their own, based on their own interests. You have everything from doctors down to probably kids in college.

"They all have an interest in motorcycles, but their other interests are very diverse,'' he said. "They're off going through the art museum to hanging out at the peninsula playing beach volleyball. For many of these people, this is a vacation and they're taking time before and after to do other things.''

Finding an area hotel room may be difficult this week when you factor that the rally is held during the height of the summer tourist season. Many rooms have been booked for weeks or months by tourists and vacationers visiting the region for other events and activities.

"If the Roar on the Shore were in the fall or spring, it would have much more economic impact,'' said Erie developer Nick Scott Sr., president of Scott Enterprises.

"It would have a lot more impact on the economy if it were in the fringe season instead of right in the middle of the summer tourist season,'' he said.

Scott's company owns numerous area hotels and restaurants, the Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort and Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa near Findley Lake, N.Y.

"We think the Roar on the Shore is a great event and among a continuing group of events in the summer season that contribute to a busier tourist area,'' Scott said.

Joe Askins, owner of Off Road Express, believes the annual motorcycle rally benefits all local business -- not just hotels, bike shops and restaurants.

"It creates excitement,'' Askins said.

Off Road Express is sponsoring two of the rally's motorcycle rides, a motorcycle demonstration, freestyle jump shows by Trevor Vines and appearances by custom motorcycle builder Rick Fairless.

"When I bring in different guest celebrities, they're very surprised at how engaged the city is for the Roar,'' Askins said. "They told me that in a lot of towns they do events in, the city is more an obstacle than a part of the event. It's nice to see Erie embrace this.''

Askins believes the rally is on the brink of national recognition.

"I think the growth is unlimited to what it can be,'' he said. "A lot of people I talk to -- different dealers -- know about our event, and they're four or five states away.''

At 2011 Roar on the Shore events, bikes were spotted with license plates from Alaska, Texas, Florida, Washington, Utah, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

No matter where they're from, bikers like to have a good time and spend money.

Ask any business owner.

At Sherlock's, Dworzanski said the wave of bikers who visit his tavern "overruns us.''

"We are full from morning to night,'' he said. "There are people on the street waiting for us to open the doors. They're all good people. It's a nice mix of fun people who are here to explore and have a good time.''

Walker said customers will consume several hundred cases of beer during the Roar.

Walker also is heavily involved in the Miss Roar on the Shore contest, which Sherlock's sponsors.

"It's a lot of work, but we enjoy it,'' Walker said.

"We want to put forth a good atmosphere and a good product,'' Dworzanski said. "We want people to be satisfied. That's our main goal. ... We've been in a lot of places where if they get too busy they just ignore the customer. That doesn't seem to happen here.''

RON LEONARDI can be reached at 870-1680 or by e-mail.

Online Extras

MORE ROAR: For Street View coverage of the Roar on the Shore motorcycle rally click here.